OpenAI trims European plans
Reports say OpenAI scaled back its European 'Stargate' infrastructure project and that Microsoft is renting capacity in a Norwegian data center originally intended for OpenAI. The coverage frames the change as a reallocation of large AI compute plans in Europe. (itpro.com) (techzine.eu)
OpenAI has backed away from renting Norway data-center capacity directly for its European Stargate project, and Microsoft is taking the space instead. (cnbc.com) OpenAI told CNBC on April 15 that it is discussing renting the Norway compute through Microsoft because that “made more financial sense” under existing contracted spending. Microsoft will take the spare capacity at Nscale’s planned 230-megawatt Narvik campus. (cnbc.com) Nscale said Microsoft is expanding its Narvik agreement by more than 30,000 Nvidia Vera Rubin graphics processors, a new generation of artificial-intelligence chips, while OpenAI said it is still “moving ahead” in Norway through Microsoft’s network. (techzine.eu) (itpro.com) The Norway site had been launched on July 31, 2025 as OpenAI’s first AI data-center initiative in Europe under its OpenAI for Countries program. OpenAI, Nscale, and Aker said then that the project would target 100,000 Nvidia graphics processors by the end of 2026. (openai.com) (nscale.com) That original plan called for 230 megawatts of capacity near Narvik, with ambitions to add another 290 megawatts later, and OpenAI said it expected to be an initial buyer of capacity with room to scale over time. (openai.com) (nscale.com) Microsoft was already tied to the same campus before this week’s change. Data Center Dynamics reported in September 2025 that Microsoft had signed a five-year, $6.2 billion agreement with Nscale and Aker for Norway compute starting in 2026. (datacenterdynamics.com) The Norway shift came days after OpenAI paused its Stargate project in the United Kingdom. OpenAI said on April 9 that high energy costs and the British regulatory environment did not support long-term infrastructure investment there. (cnbc.com) In both cases, the underlying issue is not software but power, land, and chips. These projects are giant warehouses of graphics processors that train and run artificial-intelligence models, and they only work if companies can lock in electricity, cooling, and long-term contracts at tolerable prices. (openai.com) (cnbc.com) OpenAI’s public position is that Norway remains part of its plan, just through Microsoft rather than a direct offtake from Nscale. The result is a smaller direct footprint for OpenAI in Europe than the Narvik launch suggested nine months ago. (cnbc.com) (itpro.com)
